‘It’s fine,’ Kat says again. ‘I can clean it up.’

‘No. I need to do it.’ Beth swivels off the chair and lurches towards the sink. She opens the cupboard underneath, pulls out a fresh cloth and a bottle of cleaning spray. But her hands are shaking, and the bottle slips out of her grasp, falling to the floor. Beth stares at it, frozen.

Kat takes her opportunity. She puts her arm around Beth, breathes in her smell, feels the warmth of her slight frame against Kat’s chest. The feeling is so powerful that her knees almost buckle, but she clenches her thighs and rides out the moment. ‘Let me help you,’ she whispers.

‘I didn’t sleep much last night.’

‘You have a beautiful house. But I can clean to your standard, I promise.’

Beth turns to look at her and their eyes connect. Natural deep brown and imitation blue. Beth’s face is so close now, ten centimetres at most. This is much better than Kat could ever have hoped for when she left work less than half an hour ago. She wants to take it further, but she can’t; she mustn’t risk freaking Beth out. So she leads her charge back to the stool, inhales one more time and lets go. She retrieves the cleaning products from the floor and sets to work on the island unit.

‘Can I ask something, Kat? A favour?’ Beth’s voice is so small.

‘Of course. Anything.’

‘Can this be our secret? You seeing me like this?’

Kat stops cleaning and looks up. ‘Who would I tell?’

‘My husband. My children. The woman you work with. Your clients.’

‘I wouldn’t tell anyone. It’s none of their business.’ She feels an urge to reach out again, but instead she pushes her hands into her pockets. She runs her fingers over the smooth surface of her phone.

‘I couldn’t stand anyone knowing, not even strangers. Do you promise, Kat?’

‘I promise,’ Kat whispers. She understands Beth’s need for privacy, the woman with a new name and a difficult past. She recognises it in herself too: the paranoia of living with something to hide. ‘Could I ask you a favour too?’ she asks. The image of that man is back, his angry words, and she slides her thumb across the glass screen, catching the ridge of her phone case with her nail.

‘That’s fair, I suppose.’

‘Would you tell me what’s happened today? You look scared. I want to help you.’